Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 3, 1 March 2002 — Artists reflect on life 'transitions' [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Artists reflect on life 'transitions'

By Naomi Sodetani Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden, tucked away in the back roads of Kāne'ohe and guarded by the majestic clouddraped Ko'olau, is home to an exceptional, lit-tle-known art venue whieh showcases the work of loeal contemporary artists, The gallery's contemplative setting perfectly framed its most recent exhibition, "Transitions," in whieh five artists explore the leaps, losses and growth marking their lives as temporal works-in-progress, B, Akamine, Pearl Ling-Makasobe, Meala, Nieole Morita and Robin Lee display styles and artistic visions as diverse as the mixed media they work with, One inscribes petroglyphs onto coconut fiber, others use glass, natural wiliwili seeds, fibers or oils, The four women (Lee is the sole non-kanaka maoli among them) participated in last spring's "Nā Maka Hou" showcase of Native Hawaiian artists at the Honolulu Academy of Arts,

"Transitions" juxtaposes eaeh artist's older and newer works, Akamine says, "to show how we've evolved as artists," chronicling their everyday epiphanies in an unfolding creative journey, Akamine's lustrous glass sculptures contrast with her newest pieee created in the wake of Sept, 11, Named after Ellen Prendergast's song protesting the overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani's government, "Kaulana Nā Pua" (Famous are the Flowers), a 4-1/2 by 10 ft, Hawaiian flag fashioned of red, white and blue silk tourist lei "is a statement on the illusions behind the tourism industry, and how politicians keep pushing it, even though loeal people can't even earn a living wage serving it," says ,Akamine, who works as a maintenanee supervisor for a major Waikīkī hotel, Ling-Makasobe inscribes petroglyphs, "the universal language of all the people of the world," imprinting ancient mo'olelo, stories, using inks on coconut fiber, "Ulu" depicts See ART on page 7

Pāhfona

i ~r POLI'AHU - glciss einel wiliwili seecls meike up this sculpture by B, Akeimine whieh shcires the neime of the Heiweiiiein snow goclcless of Meiunei Keei,

o |

ART from page 6 "how we hold the tree of life in the palm of our hands as we give and receive hā, the breath," Nieole Morita is in New York, having recently completed internships with the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and with the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, Akamine was the first Native Hawaiian artist-in-residence at the Smithsonian National Museum,

Meala's oil naturescapes rhythmically surge with vibrant colors and bold, unambiguous strokes, mirroring her cultural awakening that has matured with the sovereignty movement, "ī began to find more crimson and violets in my palette as ī replaced sadness with anger and determination," Meala says, The community artist-advocate works with the Makawai Stream Restoration Allianee, and Hakipu'u Learning Center and Kualoa Eeumenieal Youth (KEY) Project, and nowadays

paints in "bright vibrant yellows and crimsons whieh now represent hope and faith," Meala's paintings ean be seen in an upcoming "Lo'i-Jnspired Show" opening Mar. 8 at Native Books, 1244 N. School St., 845-8949. Call 2396014 or Mealaaloha@aol.com. See CalendarM